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A review by jhscolloquium
Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Although New York Times and USA Today bestselling, and Edgar-nominated author Heather Gudenkauf was born in Wagner, South Dakota, her family moved to Iowa when she was just three years old. She grew up there, considers Iowa her home state, and it usually serves as the setting for her books. In that respect, Everyone Is Watching, set on Bella Luce, a sprawling, isolated estate in California’s beautiful Napa Valley, is a bit of a departure, but Gudenkauf did not abandon Iowa entirely. One of the main characters hails from Calico, Iowa.
Gudenkauf aptly describes Everyone Is Watching as “fast-paced, diabolical, twisty.” Gudenkauf says the story was inspired by her desire to explore reality television. She thought it would be fun to consider “what would happen if the show was actually trying to kill you? Who’s behind it and why? And how long will the contestants hold on because of how desperate they are for the money?” At the center of the action is Catalina “Cat” James, the owner of the estate. She is a wealthy influencer who broadcasts live makeup tutorials two nights per week on Instagram while opining about and reporting on various aspects of pop culture and lifestyle. Her image is, of course, carefully curated and she is concealing her status as the creator and driving force behind a new reality competition program, One Lucky Winner, until the finale. The fourteen-day contest will feature unspecified but “over-the-top” challenges that will test the participants “physically, mentally, and emotionally.” Not only will the prize be the staggering sum of ten million dollars, but the show will also be livestreamed at a variety of times, with viewers receiving notifications to tune in. There will be only five contestants, each of whom signed both a nondisclosure agreement and broad liability waiver, and be eliminated from the contest on the basis of audience votes.
Cat is aided by her steadfast assistant, Fern – The Assistant. They met ten years ago when they worked together and were both fired because Cat stood up for Fern when the owner of the company abused her. Now it is Cat who abuses her – verbally and sometimes even physically. Cat is not just exacting and perfectionistic. She is demanding, demeaning, has unrealistic expectations, and insists that Fern work long hours for little pay. Fern remains in her employ because she is grateful to Cat for coming to her rescue years ago and has yet to find the strength to assert herself when Cat bullies her. Is that about to change? “Lately, Fern had been rethinking things.”
Each of the contestants received an email informing them they had been nominated to compete. Those who accepted the invitation are Iowan Maire Hennessy – The Best Friend — a forty-year-old divorced artist and mother to two young daughters, one of whom requires significant medical care. After Maire’s husband lost his job at the grain elevator and ran off with a nineteen-year-old waitress, Maire has received no financial assistance from him, and his health insurance was canceled. Maire is burdened by bills she cannot possibly pay and the knowledge that she is most likely going to lose their family home to foreclosure. She desperately needs the prize money in order to care for her children.
Samuel Rafferty – The Boyfriend — is a handsome, forty-two-year-old district attorney from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s single and recently gained fame when he successfully prosecuted a high-profile case. He and Maire have a connection that they believe no one knows about, and have not seen each other since a fateful night twenty years ago that irrevocably changed both of them. Richard Crowley – The Senator — is a former U.S. senator from Texas with a possible run for the White House in his future. The long-married father of four grown children is sixty-eight years old but in good shape and his political stances are definitely divisive. There are aspects of Crowley’s private life that, if revealed, would permanently derail his political aspirations and rip his family apart.
Camille Tamerlane – The Confidante – is “San Francisco’s premier psychiatrist” and hosts a popular podcast. She has a Victorian home in the coveted, historic Marina District and an office with a view of the Bay, and is in high demand as a caregiver. She is also heavily in debt. Her credit cards are maxed out and she is treating patients “off the books” for cash rather than billing their insurance carriers and keeping mandated records. Only those patients and her trusted receptionist, Geraldine, are aware of her shoddy clinical standards. She is sure that no one really knows what happened to the podcast listener who became obsessed with and stalked her.
The arrival of the last participant shocks Fern. She was responsible for issuing the final email to the contestants, and she did not invite The Executive — Ned Bennett, a well-known creator and producer of a true crime television series, and the employer who subjected her to workplace harassment. Cat denies contacting him, as well, so how he ended up at Bella Luce, ready to compete is a mystery to Fern. But Cat decrees that he will be staying and, so far, Fern has no indication that he recognizes her.
With everyone assembled (and Maire and Samuel shocked to encounter each other), cameras installed throughout the estate, the camera crew in place, and Cat ensconced in her private office where she can watch the drama unfold on multiple monitors, the games begin. At the last minute, Fern steps in as the program’s host – an opportunity too good for her to pass up. With Cat lambasting her through an earpiece, the competitors meet and learn that not only have they surrendered their cell phones but they will all be sleeping in the same room. In each challenge, they will vie to collect a Super Clue, “a tidbit of information that once put together with all the other Super Clues, will help you solve the overreaching mystery of Bella Luce.” They should also be on the lookout for Game Changers “in many forms.” They may be “tools” and the participants must decide whether to use them to possibly “steer the game in your favor.”
The chapters of Gudenkauf’s narrative focus on the individual characters, relating their experience from their perspective. She also takes readers back in time, incrementally revealing the parts of their pasts that the players have kept hidden until now. Exposure would spell personal and professional disaster for each of them. Gudenkauf cleverly includes commentary from the show’s online audience members, some of whom recognize the competitors. Some scenes reveal the reactions of loved ones as they watch the livestream. Some of the people who matter most to the contestants inadvertently learn of their participation by watching the livestream or from the media, and a couple of those revelatory scenes are nothing short of heartbreaking.
As the game proceeds, Fern and the players are tested – physically, emotionally, morally, and ethically? Why are they so determined to remain in the competition? Essentially, “anything goes.” There are few rules, the physical challenges are both strenuous and dangerous, and the types of Game Changers provided heighten the risks. It quickly becomes apparent that the Super Clues are pieces of a puzzle detailing aspects of the participants’ secrets and, thus, cause for alarm as they ponder who knows about events in their past. They soon realize that the invitation they received was ruthlessly issued by someone intent on exposing parts of their life they have actively concealed for years. How far will they go to outlast the other competitors in order to claim the ten million dollars and keep their secrets? Will they cheat? Will they commit a criminal act? Are they willing to harm someone else? Or even kill? Each player must assess how far is too far, what boundaries they will not breach. Which is what, of course, causes the show’s audience to keep growing, the ratings climbing higher and higher.
As the contestants’ angst grows, Gudenkauf skillfully accelerates the story’s pace and unveils salient facts that keep readers guessing about Cat’s motivations. Is she seeking revenge? If so, aside from Ned (The Executive), how is she connected to the other contestants? She, like each of Gudenkauf’s other lead characters, is severely flawed and, in many ways, insufferable. They have all made mistakes in their lives, to varying degrees and for an assortment of reasons. In each instance, they had a chance at a particular juncture to choose right or wrong . . . and they succumbed to fear and temptation, opting to do the wrong thing. Now, they have spent years masquerading as upstanding people, afraid of being discovered to be the frauds they know they are. Gudenkauf deftly illustrates their panicked reactions to the threat of exposure. Most of them are highly motivated by the prize money, particularly Maire, who is easily the most sympathetic character. And the event that took place twenty years ago is the most morally ambiguous of the characters’ past wrongs, but her love for and devotion to her daughters, especially the one who desperately needs ongoing medical attention, is never in question. Some of the other characters are unabashedly narcissistic, some perceive themselves as victims, and some have simply behaved despicably in the past. Gudenkauf challenges readers to consider whether people can truly become enlightened and alter their behavior accordingly, as well as whether forgiveness and redemption are tenable. In Fern’s case, can she harness her own power and use it to live a productive, fearless life?
Everyone Is Watching is binge-worthy entertainment and an inventive consideration of the inherent dangers of reality television through which Gudenkauf slyly examines the power and influence of greed, fear, power and a debilitating perception of powerlessness on people who have placed themselves in desperate situations.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.
Gudenkauf aptly describes Everyone Is Watching as “fast-paced, diabolical, twisty.” Gudenkauf says the story was inspired by her desire to explore reality television. She thought it would be fun to consider “what would happen if the show was actually trying to kill you? Who’s behind it and why? And how long will the contestants hold on because of how desperate they are for the money?” At the center of the action is Catalina “Cat” James, the owner of the estate. She is a wealthy influencer who broadcasts live makeup tutorials two nights per week on Instagram while opining about and reporting on various aspects of pop culture and lifestyle. Her image is, of course, carefully curated and she is concealing her status as the creator and driving force behind a new reality competition program, One Lucky Winner, until the finale. The fourteen-day contest will feature unspecified but “over-the-top” challenges that will test the participants “physically, mentally, and emotionally.” Not only will the prize be the staggering sum of ten million dollars, but the show will also be livestreamed at a variety of times, with viewers receiving notifications to tune in. There will be only five contestants, each of whom signed both a nondisclosure agreement and broad liability waiver, and be eliminated from the contest on the basis of audience votes.
Cat is aided by her steadfast assistant, Fern – The Assistant. They met ten years ago when they worked together and were both fired because Cat stood up for Fern when the owner of the company abused her. Now it is Cat who abuses her – verbally and sometimes even physically. Cat is not just exacting and perfectionistic. She is demanding, demeaning, has unrealistic expectations, and insists that Fern work long hours for little pay. Fern remains in her employ because she is grateful to Cat for coming to her rescue years ago and has yet to find the strength to assert herself when Cat bullies her. Is that about to change? “Lately, Fern had been rethinking things.”
Each of the contestants received an email informing them they had been nominated to compete. Those who accepted the invitation are Iowan Maire Hennessy – The Best Friend — a forty-year-old divorced artist and mother to two young daughters, one of whom requires significant medical care. After Maire’s husband lost his job at the grain elevator and ran off with a nineteen-year-old waitress, Maire has received no financial assistance from him, and his health insurance was canceled. Maire is burdened by bills she cannot possibly pay and the knowledge that she is most likely going to lose their family home to foreclosure. She desperately needs the prize money in order to care for her children.
Samuel Rafferty – The Boyfriend — is a handsome, forty-two-year-old district attorney from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s single and recently gained fame when he successfully prosecuted a high-profile case. He and Maire have a connection that they believe no one knows about, and have not seen each other since a fateful night twenty years ago that irrevocably changed both of them. Richard Crowley – The Senator — is a former U.S. senator from Texas with a possible run for the White House in his future. The long-married father of four grown children is sixty-eight years old but in good shape and his political stances are definitely divisive. There are aspects of Crowley’s private life that, if revealed, would permanently derail his political aspirations and rip his family apart.
Camille Tamerlane – The Confidante – is “San Francisco’s premier psychiatrist” and hosts a popular podcast. She has a Victorian home in the coveted, historic Marina District and an office with a view of the Bay, and is in high demand as a caregiver. She is also heavily in debt. Her credit cards are maxed out and she is treating patients “off the books” for cash rather than billing their insurance carriers and keeping mandated records. Only those patients and her trusted receptionist, Geraldine, are aware of her shoddy clinical standards. She is sure that no one really knows what happened to the podcast listener who became obsessed with and stalked her.
The arrival of the last participant shocks Fern. She was responsible for issuing the final email to the contestants, and she did not invite The Executive — Ned Bennett, a well-known creator and producer of a true crime television series, and the employer who subjected her to workplace harassment. Cat denies contacting him, as well, so how he ended up at Bella Luce, ready to compete is a mystery to Fern. But Cat decrees that he will be staying and, so far, Fern has no indication that he recognizes her.
With everyone assembled (and Maire and Samuel shocked to encounter each other), cameras installed throughout the estate, the camera crew in place, and Cat ensconced in her private office where she can watch the drama unfold on multiple monitors, the games begin. At the last minute, Fern steps in as the program’s host – an opportunity too good for her to pass up. With Cat lambasting her through an earpiece, the competitors meet and learn that not only have they surrendered their cell phones but they will all be sleeping in the same room. In each challenge, they will vie to collect a Super Clue, “a tidbit of information that once put together with all the other Super Clues, will help you solve the overreaching mystery of Bella Luce.” They should also be on the lookout for Game Changers “in many forms.” They may be “tools” and the participants must decide whether to use them to possibly “steer the game in your favor.”
The chapters of Gudenkauf’s narrative focus on the individual characters, relating their experience from their perspective. She also takes readers back in time, incrementally revealing the parts of their pasts that the players have kept hidden until now. Exposure would spell personal and professional disaster for each of them. Gudenkauf cleverly includes commentary from the show’s online audience members, some of whom recognize the competitors. Some scenes reveal the reactions of loved ones as they watch the livestream. Some of the people who matter most to the contestants inadvertently learn of their participation by watching the livestream or from the media, and a couple of those revelatory scenes are nothing short of heartbreaking.
As the game proceeds, Fern and the players are tested – physically, emotionally, morally, and ethically? Why are they so determined to remain in the competition? Essentially, “anything goes.” There are few rules, the physical challenges are both strenuous and dangerous, and the types of Game Changers provided heighten the risks. It quickly becomes apparent that the Super Clues are pieces of a puzzle detailing aspects of the participants’ secrets and, thus, cause for alarm as they ponder who knows about events in their past. They soon realize that the invitation they received was ruthlessly issued by someone intent on exposing parts of their life they have actively concealed for years. How far will they go to outlast the other competitors in order to claim the ten million dollars and keep their secrets? Will they cheat? Will they commit a criminal act? Are they willing to harm someone else? Or even kill? Each player must assess how far is too far, what boundaries they will not breach. Which is what, of course, causes the show’s audience to keep growing, the ratings climbing higher and higher.
As the contestants’ angst grows, Gudenkauf skillfully accelerates the story’s pace and unveils salient facts that keep readers guessing about Cat’s motivations. Is she seeking revenge? If so, aside from Ned (The Executive), how is she connected to the other contestants? She, like each of Gudenkauf’s other lead characters, is severely flawed and, in many ways, insufferable. They have all made mistakes in their lives, to varying degrees and for an assortment of reasons. In each instance, they had a chance at a particular juncture to choose right or wrong . . . and they succumbed to fear and temptation, opting to do the wrong thing. Now, they have spent years masquerading as upstanding people, afraid of being discovered to be the frauds they know they are. Gudenkauf deftly illustrates their panicked reactions to the threat of exposure. Most of them are highly motivated by the prize money, particularly Maire, who is easily the most sympathetic character. And the event that took place twenty years ago is the most morally ambiguous of the characters’ past wrongs, but her love for and devotion to her daughters, especially the one who desperately needs ongoing medical attention, is never in question. Some of the other characters are unabashedly narcissistic, some perceive themselves as victims, and some have simply behaved despicably in the past. Gudenkauf challenges readers to consider whether people can truly become enlightened and alter their behavior accordingly, as well as whether forgiveness and redemption are tenable. In Fern’s case, can she harness her own power and use it to live a productive, fearless life?
Everyone Is Watching is binge-worthy entertainment and an inventive consideration of the inherent dangers of reality television through which Gudenkauf slyly examines the power and influence of greed, fear, power and a debilitating perception of powerlessness on people who have placed themselves in desperate situations.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.